Monday, 7 May 2018

Stem cells are the foundation for every
organ and tissue in your body. There are many different types of stem cells
that come from different places in the body or are formed at different times in
our lives. These include embryonic stem cells that exist only at the earliest
stages of development and various types of tissue-specific (or adult) stem
cells that appear during fetal development and remain in our bodies throughout
life.

All stem cells can self-renew (make copies
of themselves) and differentiate (develop into more specialized cells). Beyond
these two critical abilities, though, stem cells vary widely in what they can
and cannot do and in the circumstances under which they can and cannot do
certain things.

Doctors and scientists are excited about
stem cells because they could help in many different areas of health and medical
research. Studying stem cells may help explain how serious conditions such as
birth defects and cancer come about. Stem cells may one day be used to make
cells and tissues for therapy of many diseases. Examples include Parkinson’s
disease, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, heart disease, diabetes, and
arthritis.